Korean Job Discussion Forums

[yuyake79]

I got fired today!!!
My contract ends on March 31 and he fired me today (March 3).
To summerise a 15min conversation on his initial offer, this is what happened today;
Boss: I will give you 1.2mil bonus and you will fininsh on February 28 (3 days ago). It's good for you. It's my final offer. You should accept it.

Me: But, I want to work until the end of my contract (so I can get my severance pay).

(So, we went back and forth on this and then...,)

Boss: You are fired today!

Me: Why? For what reason?

Boss: Because of you, the academy lost 15 students!

Me: How did I cause that?

Boss: You spoke Korean in class.

Me: Why is that bad??

Boss: (His response wasn't clear and didn't make sense so I can't remember what he said)

Me:If you didn't want me to use Korean in class you could have told me before and I wouldn't have used it.

Boss: (I can't remember his response now, but I recorded that whole conversation)

.............................

I went to the labor board and I filed a claim.
My Korean is limited, but I thought the guy at the labor board said that I can get my salary for March, but not my severance pay because I didn't complete a year.

I thought I could get both since he fired my me less than 30 days before the end of my contract. Should have not gone to the labor board but somewhere else?
Where should I go?

[lifeinkorea]

Cut your losses. File your complaint, get your March payment and move on. It isn't worth hunting down 1,000 dollars when you could make more than twice that starting a new job. Get your last month and try to get a letter of release so you don't have to get all new documents again.

[ajosshi]

Name that crapwon!

Better yet, put a copy of the recording on here for all of us to experience whatcha got.

[OculisOrbis]

[Troglodyte]

In an earlier post...

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=201097

[ontheway]

Was your replacement there today? I assume - yes.

As stated above. File your claim with the labor board. Push for your final month's salary, all unpaid previous amounts, severance and airfare. You are potentially out or due a lot of money.

It's also true that if you are unemployed while you try to collect you could lose more than you gain, depending on how long it takes. But, do you want to stay in Korea or did you plan on moving on. This complicates your decisionmaking.

Meanwhile, where are you living? I presume that even if you are still in the provided housing, you will have to and will want to leave soon.

And, do NOT post the name of your school or any video until after you collect your money.

[Riker]

I would have taken the bonus, and just found another job.

Then I would post his name on every hagwon blacklist that exist. We really need another forum that's not afraid to name names.

Its coming soon.

[yuyake79]

Is it possible to attach an audio file on this site? I think I will follow 'ontheway's advice and not put the name of the hagwon up yet. It's probably not a good idea to put the audio file up yet either, as names are mentioned. BUT, if you are applying for a job at a hagwon anytime soon, and if you're worried if it's the same hagwon, or one of it's other branches, just tell me the name of the hagwon and I'll tell you if it's the same one. It starts with a "B".

Could I do it in English if I try through the national labor office?
Well,...I plan to go back to Australia after this. Last week I extended my stay until April 12 (although, I'm not allowed to work b/n Apr.1~April12), so I have around 5 weeks to sought all this out. Think that's enough time? Labor board told me that I had to go back in a week's time after I get a letter from them in the mail.
Also, after I got fired I rang immigration to see if my boss cancelled my visa but he didn't, so that's good. But I'm not sure if he's thinking about doing that over the next few days/weeks. If he does cancel it can the labor board help me stay in Korea until April 12? If my E2 visa is open, could I still work P/T somewhere else until March 31? (March 31 is when my working E2 visa expires)

Yes, I went to the labor board during office hours. I didn't get an official letter saying that I got fired, but when I went to the labor board office, they called the academy and it was confirmed over the phone that I had gotten fired today. Would that be enough? I hope it's enough.
And remember, I got it all recorded.

And, yes. My replacement, as well as a new foreign P/T teacher started work yesterday.
My boss said that I had to move out of my place tonight. But when I came home from the labor office I spoke to the landlady and she let me stay until March 31 provided that I pay the 600,000 rent, which I used to pay through the school out of my monthly salary.

[winterfall]

[lifeinkorea]

[winterfall]

[MacLean]

Welcome to Korea. Where are the apologists on this one?

[MacLean]

Dude, here's what to do. While you've filed the complaint, go back to the school and stay there every day for your regular hours. You are there to teach. You intend to complete the contract. If he doesn't put you in the classroom ask the manager for some other project. When she declines, simply take out a book or laptop to pass the day. But you should be there, ready to work. I think that will give you increased credibility with the Labour Board. In most cases of 11 month firings, the Labour Board sides with the teacher. Just play your cards right. You are deserving of your last month's pay, your bonus, and your airfare. Fight your corner. You are in the right. Your boss is in the wrong - and he knows it. He knows full well that he's being a lowlife.

Oh, and request immigration to phone the school. That is important. That usually scares the bejessus out of them.

Good luck. Keep us updated.

[yuyake79]

Ok, so these are some of the details of the contract;

Working schedule: (under Terms) Mon to Fri, 8 hours/day. (40hrs/week)
But, under Duties it mentions that normal working hours are 30hrs/week.

I worked Mon-Fri 9:30-5:30, or 9:30-4:30. Every month the supervisor looked at the monthly schedule and chose which days of the week we could leave early at 4:30. Each of us usually got 2 days a week when we could leave early at 4:30.

Renumeration: Annual salary- 38,000,000 won [(i) base salary amount of 27,600,000 won, (ii) an overseas allowance amount of 8,400,000 won, (iii) severance pay 2,000 won]. At the end of every month, the monthly salary will be 3,000,000 won.

The contract doesn't say anything about housing but the 600,000 rent gets taken out of my 3,000,000 monthly salary. So every month I end up getting 2,320,800 put into my bank account. I assume he uses most of the (ii) overseas allowance for my housing. Other coworkers who already have their own accommodation get the full 3,000,000 (-tax) sent to their accounts every month.
I've received 2,320,800 every month until now, except for January's salary, which I got around 2,800,000 as I did some over time work. I'm expecting some over time pay with my February salary on the 10th of this month. (Pay day is usually on the 10th every month unless he pays us late).

Is it actually called "11th month firing" by there labor board, or is it just called that among foreigners?
And, why isn't it called "12th month firing"? I got fired 3 days into my 12th month.

[matthews_world]

So 15 students quit. No wonder the firing. He doesn't have the income to warrant honoring your full end of contract benefits.

Pretty cut and dry.

He doesn't want to go in the hole financially. Now if the students didn't leave and he fired you then you would have a stronger case.

Good luck with this one. Due to experience with Klogic, I just see you getting the basics of what he owes and nothing more.

If you do plan to work elsewhere, as I tell every teacher in your position, get a signed/stamped reference sealed in an envelope that your boss can back in the future and the certificate of work experience also stamped.